What are we watching tonight?

Normally I don't do much observing on a full Moon night, but it's very clear tonight. Also the Moon is in a pretty good star-field and very close to Jupiter. Might be able to get both in the same view with a low power scope?

Also we have a good transit of Jupiter going on with the Moonrise and Aldebaran close by. Think I will just bring out the small scopes and bino's.

Every time theyre close, I hope to be able to get some good shots of Jupiter and the Moon next to one another. Ive only gotten one so far and its quality leaves something to be desired, but hopefully this time the weather will play along.

I have fielded 3 phone calls from relatives tonight wondering what that bright "star" was next to the moon and the dimmer one off to the right. So I have been looking at Jupiter and Aldebaran most of the evening.

Dang moon! Dang not-quite-transparent sky spreading all the light out! Dang moving air! Why would the cloudless night have to be on the full moon?

I blinded myself looking at the moon and Jupiter. If I breathe near the eyepiece, I can see the light cone exiting the EP where it intersects with the breath-fog, if it's pointing at the moon.

Then I looked at a few washed-out DSOs until I made it to Beehive M44, which was bright enough to beat the background, but not so bright as to showcase the poor seeing (why do only bright stars twinkle so?). But then I made it to iota cancrii, which was really the highlight of the night. Nice colors on that double, and no need get out the shorter EPs just to split it.

I watched a video of the repair of a leaking gastic ulcer post Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. Nothing like a room full of surgical nurses sitting around chewing on steak while looking at a screen full of *BLEEP* abdominal cavity.

Hey it was almost like astronomy. The surgery was done with a laparoSCOPE.